


The Dimming Fire

by SpicyKitty



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang and Zuko are awesome besties, Avatar Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Zuko has a Dragon, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25484563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicyKitty/pseuds/SpicyKitty
Summary: Au where Zuko is the 112 year old Avatar and the Water Tribe are bad.Zuko and Aang go to the old Fire Nation Palace
Relationships: Aang/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 140





	The Dimming Fire

**Author's Note:**

> First fanfic ever so this might be real bad. This also might develop to a whole series if ya'll like

A huge red dragon swept across the barren, drowned area, red buildings stuck out from the watery grounds.

Two boys sat on the majestic beast. One, pale-skinned, golden eyed boy, who seems to be about 12 or 13, who was currently gripping unto the reins. One, a bald boy who seems barely any older than the first one, with a blue arrow tattoo which is _very_ _noticeable._

“Uh… Aang? This is the Fire Nation, why is it so… watery ?”, the golden eyed boy asked.

The other boy, Aang, looked pretty hesitant and also dared not to answer.

“Why are you so quiet?”, the golden eyed boy asked again, “You’re usually the chatty one”

Aang turns to him. His grey eyes wide. “Look Zuko, a lot has changed since the last hundred ye-“ “I know, I know”, the golden-eyed boy, Zuko, interrupted. “The Water Tribe turned into an Empire and also turned bad, bla bla bla, I know, I know”, he said.

Aang sighed.

Zuko huffed. Aang was rarely like this. It was weird seeing the young monk quiet like this.

But then, as his golden eyes swept the area, a sort of palace stood out, not completely drowned out. His eyes brightened. “There it is!”, he shouted. “Druk, c’mon! Yip-yip!”, he shouted, tugging the reins as the dragon roared.

Swooping down closer in a steep angle, Druk then landed with a thump.

Zuko and Aang clambered down from the massive, scaly, creature. Zuko let a soft whistle. “We’re finally back home Druk”, he said softly to the dragon, who seemed to understand.

Aang trailed behind. He said nothing as he followed Zuko and the dragon inside the huge palace. “You used to live here?”, Aang asked, curious.

“Yep!”, Zuko answered, as he practically skipped inside. Aang had rarely seen him so cheerful, he was usually… well, grumpy. It sent chills down his spine. What if he saw one of his family dead? He gulped, lost in his thoughts as Zuko chatted on about his Uncle (who was Fire Lord at the time) and the rest of his family.

“Also, do you want me to show you the throne room?”, Zuko asked suddenly, snapping Aang out of his thoughts. ‘Throne Room… That means-‘ “Oh uh… How about we check something else?”, he suggested lamely. Zuko nodded excitedly, “Course I could”.

Aang sighed in relief. How come Zuko himself not realize how quiet the place is?

“How about… The palace garden! There’s a bunch of turtleducks there!”, Zuko answered excitedly, “Me and mum used to relax there a lot with Azula too sometimes!”.

“How about you stay here first Druk, I don’t want you eating the turtleducks”, the boy said, patting the dragon’s scaly head. Druk snorted.

Aang’s shoes squeaked against the palace floor as he followed the young Avatar through the halls. His heart sank further into his stomach.

* * *

The garden was well… Not big, but it was surely a refreshment after seeing all that red. There was a huge tree, and a small fountain nearby.

He saw Zuko staring into it. Aang hoped he didn’t see anything off. “What’s wrong”, Aang asked.

“This is odd. There’s usually a bunch of turtleducks here”, Zuko said.

Aang gulped. “Say, how about we-“ A rustle. And a chirping noise.

Both of them turned to see a head poking out of the leaves of the tree. A small, red, furry head.

“FERRET!”, Aang yelled, chasing after it. Distracted by it, Zuko decided to chase after it too.

After Zuko used a small fire boost to leap after it, he finally was able to pounce on the ferret, like a predator.

He scooped the thing up. “Look Aang, it’s a Fire Ferret.”, he picked it up to show the young airbender, and paused, looking at it, “Do you think we should keep him? I’ve already got a good name for him”

“Sure”, Aang answered. At least there was something to distract him.

“Whadya think about… Iroh? Like my Uncle!”, Zuko said suddenly.

Aang grimaced. Zuko didn’t notice. Anything else about his family would be nice (especially if he learns that they’re long gone already).

“How about Pabu?”, he asked.

“Nah, Iroh sounds better”

“Pabu”

“Iroh”

“Pabu”

“Ugh, how about I call him Pabu, and you call him Iroh”, Aang decided.

“Fine”, Zuko said.

It was about midday when they finally stopped touring the Palace. Zuko had came to realize it was…. Rather quiet.

_“Maybe the servants are out. Or maybe they were scared of me since I’m like, a hundred years old now, but I am still their prince”_ , he had said.

_‘Right, after barging in someone’s palace without permission’_ , Aang thought to himself.

Without realizing that Zuko had stopped, Aang bumped into him with a muffled ‘Oomph’, then gathering himself as he sided beside his friend.

Zuko made a choked noise. This was not good.

A seemingly old skeleton laid on the floor, a majestic throne behind it, Ice spikes surging through whats supposed to be its chest. Dried blood crusted near it. There was what seemed to be a crown, fallen beside the bony mess. Regal red robes on it.

“Uncle Iroh…”, Zuko said, his voice barely a whisper.

“Zuko…”, Aang started, but when his friend turned back to him, his eyes and dragon tattoo on his sleeve were glowing an unearthly white, full with sandness and rage.

A scent of salt filled his nostrils, the sound of rushing water filled his ears. Was he hallucinating or something?

Zuko seemed to rise, a ring of fire circling him. The heat, stinging Aang.

Also, he wasn’t hallucinating.

There was Prince Sokka over there, two meters behind him, his huge scar on his right eye, he seemed to be in a daze. He had a sort of army around him.

Now Aang was confused on what to do.

He saw Zuko, now literally encased in a sphere of fire. The heat was well… hot and Aang barely stood against it if he hadn’t used his airbending to stay cool. The Water Empire men seemed to be unable to withstand it too as they seemed to basically melt under it, slumping to the ground, sweating heavily.

“ZUKO! CALM DOWN”, he yelled over the blearing heat. His muscles tensed as he tried to squint through the fire sphere thingy, “I’m here for you Zuko! I know the firebenders are gone but… You’ve got me, and Druk, and Pabu! PLEASE CALM DOWN!”

He did. His fire sphere gradually disappearing as his glowing eyes dimmed. The Avatar slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Aang felt relieved that the heat was no more there. He glanced back at the dazed waterbenders and started to run, dragging Zuko and Pabu to the main hall.

And thankfully, Druk was safe. “Why didn’t you help us Druk?”, Aang murmured as he clambered up unto the Dragon’s neck, placing Zuko and Pabu on the saddle.

“Druk, yip-yip”, he commanded as the dragon lifted off to the sky again.

* * *

_The Palace Garden was peaceful…_

_“Ah Nephew, what brings you here today?”, an rather old man with a silver beard asked a twelve year old boy, flicking a tile with a white lotus encarved in it, “I thought you didn’t like Pai Sho”_

_Said nephew shook his head. His head facing downwards slightly. “Haven’t you heard Uncle”, he asked, “I thought you were the Fire Lord”_

_“Ah, is this about you being the Avatar, Prince Zuko?”_

_Zuko nodded tersely. “I need advice. They say I have to… Well, save this world from the Water Tribe. They say there’s a war out there. A-and I dunno what to do. I can’t handle it, uncle”_

_Fire Lord Iroh gave an understanding nod. “Come sit Prince Zuko, it’s a pretty day out here”, he pointed towards the seat near the Pai Sho table._

_Zuko sat down with a huff._

_“You should know Prince Zuko, that destiny is a funny thing”, Iroh said._

_“But I don’t wanna be the Avatar”, Zuko answered._

_“_ _You often meet your destiny on the road you take to avoid it.”, Iroh said._

_“So you think I should just slaughter all those_ innocent _Water Tribe people?”_

_“That was not what I meant, Nephew”, Iroh said, “But alas, not all people are so innocent”_

_“UGH! I wish I wasn’t born the Avatar! I wish I was just a normal prince”, Zuko huffed._

_“No matter how much you try to avoid it, your destiny will always meet you there my nephew”_

_“Well, you don’t know what its like to be told to “save the world”. You don’t know what its like to be set aside from the family Uncle! You don’t know what its like when they tell you that you have to leave home to learn some other elements or something”, Zuko said angrily, suddenly, “All you do is just sit and drink tea or play Pai Sho everyday! YOU-YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL!”, he yelled, and started to run out of the garden and into the Palace._

_Iroh shook his head sadly, the tea untouched near him._

_Unbeknownst to Zuko, that was the last time he would see his Uncle._

Golden eyes flare open. Zuko looked around. All he could see was Iroh on his stomach. He sobbed.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so basically Zuko has a dragon tattoo on his arm (in my headcanon for this au), which signifies that he's mastered firebendeing. Aang is fifteen here. Pabu (which is taken from LoK, it just seemed cute) is called, well, Pabu by Aang but since Zuko disagrees, he calls him Iroh instead. Also, Sokka is in Zuko's role in this au. Also also, Zuko has Druk from LoK waaaay earlier. Also I thought commanding Druk with "Yip Yip" seems funny so I slapped it on.


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